Meyer Hatchery: A Raise A long (Black & Blue Copper Marans, Cuckoo Marans, Easter Egger and Olive Eggers Galore)

[Pumperkinz]

Found out yesterday that our Marans are now able to fly out of their brooder! I had leftover chiffon from an old project I was finished with, so I clipped it over their enclosure. I figured it would be the most breathable cover I had currently available. Between that and the mesh along the sides of the pack n play they're in, they seem fine. I keep checking their thermometer, and have a fan in the room (to the side, not aimed At them), for airflow.

Nice! they look to be happy. Airflow, Clean Water and Food and they generally are going to be happy little ladies! I've found my pups love the chickens more then their cat/dog siblings. It took me a good two weeks of acclimating and correcting my dogs outside for me to fully trust them without being prey driven to chase if the chickens get spooked etc. I've found also I had only one death in all my time due to predation and it was because the chicken got outside of our fence and my heeler couldn't get to through to help out the poor lady. I can't speak more highly of raising dogs w/ chickens in this sense as they help decrease unnecessary losses in my opinion.

 

[Midnight Maran Momma]

I'm very thankful we saved up and had a 6' privacy fence put up around most of our residential acre of land. The front yard is quite open, but the fence starts at the front of our home (maybe 40' in). We're looking to build our coop & run where the blue is, along one side of our home. There's fencing directly behind the trees to the left, as well, so the chickens will be somewhat sheltered from the elements, we're hoping.
I love the ideas of letting them free range in our yard, but we've got racoons, rats, possums, snakes, and hawks in our area (thankfully, I've not seen a snake since we moved in, almost five years ago). Several of our neighbors let their cats roam freely outside, as well. I'm not a fan of this, but thankfully, they've not come inside our new fence, so far.

 

[Pumperkinz]

I'm very thankful we saved up and had a 6' privacy fence put up around most of our residential acre of land. The front yard is quite open, but the fence starts at the front of our home (maybe 40' in). We're looking to build our coop & run where the blue is, along one side of our home. There's fencing directly behind the trees to the left, as well, so the chickens will be somewhat sheltered from the elements, we're hoping.
I love the ideas of letting them free range in our yard, but we've got racoons, rats, possums, snakes, and hawks in our area (thankfully, I've not seen a snake since we moved in, almost five years ago). Several of our neighbors let their cats roam freely outside, as well. I'm not a fan of this, but thankfully, they've not come inside our new fence, so far.

Tbh we have raccoons,foxes,bears and hawks. Hawks are the one I'm most worried about and then a fox as they are the most elusive in my opinion. My roosters have always kept keen eyes on hawks and generally scream for everyone to hide when even a jet passes overhead lol. I think predation is common whether its from wild animals or even your neighborhood dogs, so if you aren't watching them full time just expect to lose a few a year. I will say having our heeler around he's been an exceptional little guardian and treats the chickens as his best friends.

 

[Midnight Maran Momma]

Tbh we have raccoons,foxes,bears and hawks. Hawks are the one I'm most worried about and then a fox as they are the most elusive in my opinion. My roosters have always kept keen eyes on hawks and generally scream for everyone to hide when even a jet passes overhead lol. I think predation is common whether its from wild animals or even your neighborhood dogs, so if you aren't watching them full time just expect to lose a few a year. I will say having our heeler around he's been an exceptional little guardian and treats the chickens as his best friends.

Unfortunately, in our residential area, we're not allowed a rooster (although a neighbor down the street has one) to sound the alarm. I've been working with getting our dogs (a 74# Staffordshire Terrier & a 13# Morkie) used to the chicks and understanding"Leave It" and "Gentle" (we use that one a lot between the dogs and when they're playing with the cat), in the hopes that their prey drive will be curbed, chicken-wise. So far, the little dog loves watching them, but runs away or rolls in his back when the chicks are out from behind their pen. The big one doesn't care about them, until they start running. That one I'm more concerned about.

 

[wrathsfarm]

"Also just a note the ladies are almost ready to start laying. How time flies! Looking forward to see what colors they lay and hoping I get some of the good genetics for the BCM's ."


@Pumperkinz Have the girls started laying?

 

[Pumperkinz]

"Also just a note the ladies are almost ready to start laying. How time flies! Looking forward to see what colors they lay and hoping I get some of the good genetics for the BCM's ."


@Pumperkinz Have the girls started laying?

Yes! There is so many eggs

I'll see if I can grab some from the counter in a bit to show you what colors.

The BCM's there is one that is laying and it's not the darkest brown but it is darker then the blue copper marans that are laying. I also have Blue/Green/Olive eggs from all the easter eggers I ended up getting which are beautiful. I'm hoping the two others that aren't laying will get a darker gene maybe but overall im happy with the quality and I'm getting 7-8 eggs a day out of 14 hens at 20 weeks old.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Yes! There is so many eggs

I'll see if I can grab some from the counter in a bit to show you what colors.

The BCM's there is one that is laying and it's not the darkest brown but it is darker then the blue copper marans that are laying. I also have Blue/Green/Olive eggs from all the easter eggers I ended up getting which are beautiful. I'm hoping the two others that aren't laying will get a darker gene maybe but overall im happy with the quality and I'm getting 7-8 eggs a day out of 14 hens at 20 weeks old.

That's awesome... Looking forward to seeing the pics.

 

[Pumperkinz]

@wrathsfarm here are some pics this is the last two weeks.

Very impressed w/ the quality thus far. Also getting the fence built up for them in the next 2/3 weeks so they have more space to roam without me having to worry as much. Right now the dogs yard is separated from them and I can't have my dogs watch them for me so they don't have direct access to our yard/woods. Really love letting them free range as much as possible.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Them are gorgeous...congrats. Got a few pretty speckles in there also.

 

[Pumperkinz]

Them are gorgeous...congrats. Got a few pretty speckles in there also.

Yes the assortment is great! I think in the next year we might build out a separate coop to do BCM/Blue Copper Breeding (Maybe) if I can convince the wife I need a second run lol. We shall see I'd really love to breed for egg color and the BCM standard.